Character Creation
Suggested steps for character creation: # Brainstorm character idea # Create Aspects # Assign Abilities (a.k.a. Skills) # Apply Race Modifiers # Select Talents (a.k.a. Stunts) # Choose Gear # Find picture and write up character background Aspects High Concept Your character's High Concept is a descriptor of his or her core nature. It must include your Race but can also include information about inseparable elements of who your character is. Changing your High Concept is only possible very rarely, after the completion of an impactful character arc for instance, so make sure any additional information isn't something transient or irrelevant. Some ideas for supplemental information to be included in your High Concept are things like your character's most entrenched personality traits, membership in an organization or group that has helped shape who they are, the location that they're from if it has left a deep cultural imprint on them, etc. Anything that isn't likely to change very easily and also might come up in a helpful or inconvenient manner during play is open game for a High Concept. Trouble Your character's trouble should be a source of complication from which problems can arise and Fate Points can be earned. It isn't something that can be solved or addressed, at least not without undergoing extreme effort and even then it would need to be renamed or reassigned in another way. After all, everyone has fallen short of the glory of the Living God. Sources of Trouble include personal flaws such as vices or negative impulses, addictions and hangups. They can also include traumatic past experiences if they've left a mental scar on the character, or have set the character up with a determined enemy dedicated to making their life a living hell. This last one should be considered carefully because of the nature of the campaign: it doesn't make much sense to choose a pissed off neighbor when the nature of military service will almost certainly ensure that this relationship will never be relevant. Remember, you want your Trouble to cause problems, so you can gain Fate Points. Three Additional Aspects After you've selected your High Concept and Trouble, you can go on to select up to three more Aspects. If you can't think of three, you're welcome to hold off on one or two and assign them after playing them a bit, but it's advisable to start with them. You can always modify your Aspects as your character gains experience, and regular Aspects are far more easily changed than the High Concept and Trouble. The best Aspects are ones that can be both a source of strength and also introduce problems. Any Aspect that can be used to complicate matters can earn you Fate Points, so try not to make them all too positive. An Aspect can be a single word, but it can also be a phrase or even an entire sentence, so you have plenty of room to word it in a way that can cause difficulties as well. Some ideas for Aspects include: * Method: Usual means of tackling problems or approaching situations * Strength: Noteworthy capability or prowess * Education: Technical or academic education * Profession: Work experience prior to signing up for the military * Motivation: Personal goal or reason to fight * Values: Personal moral code and principles * Personality: Mannerisms, traits, or behaviors * Quirks: Odd habits, rituals, beliefs, or compulsions * Problems: Issues or difficulties the character must deal with, but aren't as severe as your Trouble * Connection: Loved ones, friends, or family members that might be relevant to your military career * Reputation: Gossip, respect, or notoriety Abilities See: [[Abilities|'Abilities']] Your character starts with 8 Abilities known. Any Ability that your character does not possess a rank in, they are considered Untrained. An Untrained Ability can still be rolled, but cannot gain a benefit from any Aspects without spending a Fate Point on them, and additionally its outcome is limited to Success even with 3 Hits (instead of Outstanding Success). In addition to lowering the Roll Threshold on tests by the Ability's Rank, the Rank also determines the number of free Aspect invokes you can use on any one test. Remember that each invoke of an Aspect (whether a free invoke or spending a Fate Point) lowers the Roll Threshold by 3. Also remember that Talent bonuses apply to the Roll Threshold if they are relevant as well. Select the Abilities to promote to the following Ranks: * One Ability at Rank 4 * Two Abilities at Rank 3 * Two Abilities at Rank 2 * Three Abilities at rank 1 Race Ability Modifiers After assigning your Abilities, apply your Racial Modifiers as follows: Human * Willpower +1 * Male: Physique +1 * Female: Rapport +1 Dragon Daughter * Physique +6 (does not count for additional Stress boxes) * Assault +2 * Stealth -4 Wolfen * Rapport -2 The following Ability Modifiers only apply to the specific forms the Wolfen can assume: Human Form * Male: Physique +1, Rapport +1 * Female: Rapport +2 Beastman Form * Aggression +1 * Assault +1 * Physique +2 * Willpower -1 Animal Form * Movement +1 * Assault +1 * Stealth +1 * Awareness +1 * Cannot use any Abilities that require hands Night Raven * Awareness +2 * Physique -1 Talents General Talents Talents are specific capabilities, practiced skills, unique feats, special maneuvers, and anything else that makes your character special. These should be much more specific and mechanically-oriented than Aspects. Some examples include are listed below. When a Talent template says action this is one of the four Ability actions of Overcome Obstacles, Create Advantage, Attack, or Defend. * +2 to Ability for action in a circumstance * Once per game session, declare something previously unknown to be true, based on an Aspect or a Rank 3+ Ability * Use 1 in place of 2 to action or in a circumstance * Any time you Create Advantage with Ability in circumstance, gain an additional free invoke on any Boosts or Aspects created * Any time you Create Advantage with Ability in circumstance, anyone invoking any Boosts or Aspects created lowers Roll Threshold by 5 instead of 3 * Once per game session, use Ability for a reasonable action without taking any time or a turn in combat * Any time you get a Success or Outstanding Success on an Attack with Ability, have the option to lower Damage by 2 in order to create a Boost with a free invoke * Once per game session, avoid being targeted by an Attack that targets an entire zone/multiple targets * Spend a Fate Point to upgrade the outcome of a roll by one level for Ability in a circumstance Every character gets free Talents from their Race, as well as being able to choose 2 Talents for free at character creation. Additional Talents can be taken by lowering Refresh by 1 each, down to a minimum of 1 Refresh. Racial Talents In addition to the general Talents, each race has its own Talents that it gets for free or can select that aren't available to other races. Human Free: * Magical Training: Three free Talents reserved for Powers * Human Tenacity: Once per game session, instantly clear 2 boxes of Stress of any kind Additional Talent Options: * Advanced Magical Training: Choose one additional Power per Talent * Magical Aptitude: Gain 2 additional Magical Stress boxes * Religious Bond: Spend a Fate Point to upgrade the outcome of a roll by one level for any social test when interacting with another follower of Ortueism * Ministry: Spend a Fate Point of your own to allow a companion to resist a Compel regarding a personal flaw or vice without having to spend a Fate Point of their own * Human Adaptability: Once per game session, use Willpower in place of any other Ability Dragon Daughter Free: * Large Size: Gear Weight for Dragon Daughters counts as 1/16th of its normal amount (this is taken into account for Dragon Daughter-only items), -6 to using Movement to Defend * Long Stride: +3 to Movement for Overcoming Obstacles when stepping over something blocking the way * Durable: +2 Natural Armor (stacks with worn armor) * Strong Hitter: Unarmed attacks do 4 Lethality (Area) Additional Talent Options: * Elemental Exhalation: Choose an element (fire, ice, electricity, sound, poison, etc.) and gain the ability to add +2 to Aggression or Assault (5 Lethality, Area, Blast (1)) once per game session. Additional uses are possible by taking 1 Physical Stress * Elemental Affinity: Requires Elemental Exhalation, increases free usage to once per scene and upgrades to +3 to Aggression or Assault (6 Lethality, Area, Blast (1)) * Strong Scales: +1 additional Natural Armor (stacks with worn armor), +2 to Physique for Defend Wolfen Free: * Change Form: Once per scene, switch to a different Form (Human, Beastman, or Animal) for free. Spend one Fate Point to switch after the first * Rapid Healing: When in Animal Form, quadruple recovery progress on physical consequences * Claws and Teeth: While in Beastman or Animal Form, unarmed attacks do 3 Lethality, Armor Penetration 1 Additional Talent Options: * Superior Shifter: Changing to a different Form is always free no matter how many times it's done in a scene * Piercing Howl: Use Willpower in place of Aggression to Create Advantages by intimidating enemies with a howl * Wolfen Kinship: +2 to Rapport when interacting with other Wolfen Night Raven Free: * Natural Flyer: +2 to all Movement tests when flying * Keen Eyes: +2 to Awareness for Overcoming Obstacles when peering into the magical plane * Eyes in the Sky: Once per session, allow a teammate to use your Awareness in place of their own for a Defend Action when you are observing from above Additional Talent Options: * Silent Wings: Use Movement in place of Stealth when flying * Diving Strike: Use Movement in place of Assault when diving in close while flying * Discerning Eye: Use Awareness in place of Marksmanship when aiming for a small target or specific individual * Swoop In From Above: Once per scene, show up anywhere you want to no matter where you were previously, so long as it's somewhere that can be reached by flying * Spirit Messenger: +2 to all social skills when interacting with spirits Gear See: [[Gear|'Gear']] Every character (aside from a Dragon Daughter) starts with a Rifle. Humans start with a War Soul. Every character can choose 3 pieces of Gear. Grenades come in 3 per Gear. Mortars and handcannons come with up to 6 shells. Additional pieces of Gear can be chosen at character creation by spending a Talent for it. Further Gear can be acquired as the campaign progresses.